A weblog by Laura Moncur

9/24/2005

This is the tag line for a text ad. It has shown up so many times that I became conscious of it. It’s an advertisement for Drugstore.com. I guess they are suggesting that if you shop at Drugstore.com, then you’ll have more time to be with your children AND be able to shop for them.

What if we took that phrase to heart, though? What if we spent more time with our loved ones, not shopping for them? How many hours have I wandered around department stores trying to find a gift? Would that time have been better spent with the person?

There is so much etiquette affiliated with gift giving. It has to be a surprise. It has to be perfect. It has to be given at the appropriate time. Some of the best gifts I’ve received were when Mom, Stacey and I all went to choose our gifts or spend our gift certificates together. Some of the best gifts I’ve enjoyed giving were when the person said, “All I want for my birthday is for all of us to…”

Then again, it feels so good to guess right. When I have thought of the perfect present and I KNOW they are going to like it and then they REALLY do like it. That’s great too. Every once and awhile, I can hit the right button, but it’s hard and it takes a lot of thinking.

I don’t know what’s right. We’re coming up on Christmas and I don’t know what is the best. I just wish Drugstore.com would stop with those text ads, because they seem to scold me, no matter which one I choose.

Yeah, those just right presents are GREAT to give. I guess I wish gift giving were optional.. or that I were a better guesser. I hate giving sort of alright presents and I hate getting them even worse! I have begged my family to just give me money, or asked them all to go in on one present for me, but they persist in giving me little trinkets that I then semi-guiltily pass along when I can’t think of anything to give but a scented candle. But, it did help to know that they enjoy buying and giving me those presents. That’s what my aunt said when I asked them to stop. And this year, I have gotten a lot of non-holiday cash presents… I feel really greatful for those.